Key-guard



-Af J. LYON.

(No Model.)

KEY GUARD.

No. 540,996.l

Patented June 11, 1895.

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KEY-GUARD.

' SPECIFICATION lforming part of Letters Patent No. 540,996, dated June 11, 1895.

Application filed October 25, 1894. Serial No. 526,958. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom i may concern..- y

Be it known that I, ADDISON J. LYON, a citi- Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in KeyGuards, ot' which the following is a specification.

The object -of this invention is to provide a key guard or attachment which is readily applicable and adjustable and the invention resides in the novel features of construct-ion set forth in the following specification and claims and illustrated in the annexed drawings, in whichi i Figure 1 is a side elevation of the guard sectioned along .'12, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the guard in releasing position, leaving the key free to be withdrawn. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the guard in locking position to prevent withdrawal of the key. Fig. 4 is a detail face view of the guard plate Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a hook or fastening. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of Fig. 5. Figs. 7 and 8 show a modification.

The' key hole escutcheon 1 having the key hole 2 is secured in place by screws or fastenings 3, the key hole 2 allowing tbe insertion and withdrawal of key stem 4t with barb 5.

To guard against the key being withdrawn by accident or from improper motives a guard plate or disk 6 is provided which when its radialrecess 7 registers with key hole 2 (Fig. 2) will allow the key to be inserted or withdrawn. YVhen a key is inserted and the plate 6 is rotated on the pivot or screw 8 to bring an unbroken part of its periphery to the key hole (Fig. 3), said plate will prevent withdrawal or dropping out of the key. Said plate or disk'6 being eccentrically pivoted is capable of serving with key holes of varying length, as a longer key hole for example may require the rotation of the disk to such a degree that the highest or most eccentric part of its periphery from pivot 8l has to register with the key hole for effectively Vguarding the key, while a shorter key hole might require a less rotation of the disk as a part of its periphery nearer the pivot 8 when registering with such shorter key hole would effectively guard the key. The device is thus applicable to various lengths of key holes as its eccentricity makes it adjustable as just described.

The pivoted portion of disk or plate 6 is formed into a chamber or recess 9 into which can enter the head or nut 10 tapped for the engagement of screw 8. 10 is carried by an arm or projecting portion 11 extending from a hook or fastening tongue 12. This hook or fastening 12 is thin or blade like so that when this fastening 12 is slipped down through key hole 2 to the back of the escutcheon to rest between the latter and the door or article to which the escutcheon is secured, the lower screw 3 of the escutcheon when tightened can draw the escutcheon close to its seat without any necessity of cutting away the wood or'material at the vpart where it is in contact with the fastening 12. The device is thus readily applicable as no cutting or preparation is necessary for its reception.

The fastening 12 although thin or blade like can be made sufficiently strong by being of proper width. At the place of meeting the projecting part 11 the fastening 12 is properly thickened so as to properly strengthen the angle formed by the parts 11 and v12.

The fastening 12 being laterally bent or deflected as seen in Figs. 2, 3 and 6 is in position to clear or pass alongside the lower screw 3 fastening the lower part of the escutcheon, so that the device is applicable even when through the shortness of the escutcheon or the position of the key hole 2 the lower screw 3 rests in proximity to the lower edge of such key hole. The recess or chamber 9 of guard plate 6 enables the nut 10 to enter or retreat more or less as required for securely clamping the delvice to varying thicknesses of escutcheons.

The screw 8 connecting parts 6 and 10 is shown as a thumb screw but may of course be 'any suitable screw.

This nut or head The hook or fastening instead of being shaped as in Figs. 5 and 6 may also be shaped as in Figs. 7 and 8 where `the arm 11 instead of having one wing 12, has a cross bar a's 12 adapted to catch behind the escutcheon, the edge 13 of the bar 12 being sharpened to force itself into the wood as the escutcheon is secured in place. The cross bar 12 makes the device applicable to rim locks as well as to escutcheons.

ICO

by Letters Patent, is-

l. A key fastener attachment for k ey hole escutcheons, said attachment consisting of a disk or plate having a radial recess adapted to register with the key hole, said plate being eccentrically mounted to enable its edge to be adjusted at varying degrees over the key hole as said plate is rotated to a greater or less extent substantially as described.

2. A key fastener attachment for key hole escutcheons said attachment consisting of a thin or blade like hook or fastening adapted to catch through the key hole onto the rear side of the escutcheon, and a guard plate connected to said fastening substantially as described.

3. A key fastener attachment for key hole escutcheons said attachment consisting of a hook or fastening adapted to engage the esculcheon, and a guard plate connected to said fastening, said guard plate being recessed or chambered for the adjustable connection of the plate and fastening substantially as described.

4. A key fastener attachment for key hole escutcheons said attach ment consisting of a hook or fastening adapted to engage the escutcheon and provided with a nut, and a guard plate or disk pivoted on said nut, said guard plate being recessed or chambered for theretreat of the nut to make the device adjustable for clamping varying thicknesses of escutcheons, and a screw threaded in the said nut for clamping the plate or disk and hook to the escutcheon substantially as described.

5. A key fastener attachment for key hole escutcheons', said attachment consisting of a hook or fastening adapted to catch through the key hole onto the rear side of the escutcheon, and a guard plate connected to said fastening, said hook or fastening being laterally bent or deflected to'clear the lower fastening screw of the escutcheon substantially as described.

6. A key fastener attachment consisting of a fastening composed of across bar provided with a knife edge and a guard plate connected to said cross barsubstantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

` ADDISON J. LYON. lVitnesses:

WILLIAM C. HAUFF, ERNEST F. KASTENHUBER. 

